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Microsoft Disrupts the Emerging Nitol Botnet ...

Microsoft Finds Malware On New Computers In China

»www.npr.org/templates/story/stor···61047600

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The shopper in this case was part of a team of Microsoft researchers in China investigating the sale of counterfeit software.

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reply to Name Game
So basically this botnet started because people in China were buying counterfeit Windows with malicious software prepackaged? I thought Asian people were supposed to be smart.

Oh well, even with legit Windows they would have had trojans after a few minutes of web browsing, so I guess it made no difference.
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Getting people to stop using windows is more or less the same as trying to get people to stop smoking tobacco products. They dont want to change; they are happy with slowly dying inside. -- munky99999

reply to Name Game
What would be useful would be to publish a comprehensive list of the vendors (both PC vendors and parts makers) who had shipped compromised components.

This would serve two purposes:

1. Alert people who may have innocently purchased crap

2. Penalize companies with lax security who sold crap

reply to Name Game
Pre-Installed Malware Straight Out The Box

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Ingenious hackers have opened up a new frontline in their battle against software companies, audaciously infecting a number of computers with malware at a time and place when they should be at their most secure – on the factory production line.

The startling discovery comes from a new Microsoft study, PDF which revealed that a number of PCs were found to be carrying malware that was believed to have been installed before they even left the factory.

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Computers being infected with viruses, counterfeit software before they arrive at stores, lawsuit documents say.

A customer in Shenzhen, China, took a new laptop out of its box and booted it up for the first time. But as the screen lit up, the computer began taking on a life of its own. The machine, triggered by a virus hidden in its hard drive, began searching across the internet for another computer.

The shopper in this case was part of a team of Microsoft researchers in China investigating the sale of counterfeit software. They received a sudden introduction to malware called Nitol.

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reply to Name Game
MS News »www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/
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reply to KodiacZiller
They are a lot smarter. They got Windows for free, use like we do which we have to pay. And they don't care about trojans and viruses. I bet most if not all, use it casually for im, e-mails and skype.

They don't spend in front of the computer like for most of the day or for work.

Viruses ? So what ? Opps my pc is starting to slow down. Alright, let's reformat. No problemo.

Those who are aware of security, are even smarter. They use Windows free (100% clean) and make it legit.

reply to Name Game
Microsoft Reaches Settlement with Defendants in Nitol Case

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Two weeks ago, I wrote about how a Microsoft study looking into unsecure supply chains led to the discovery of the emerging Nitol botnet, which was hosted by the 3322.org domain. In order to address this threat, Microsoft filed suit to take control of the 70,000 malicious subdomains hosted on 3322.org.

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